Sakura Blossoms in the Moonlight
by Richard Beaubien
Summary: Erika takes a long look at her life and future, only to have some answer provided by an unlikely source.


Sakura Blossoms in the Moonlight  
  
A Hime-chan no Ribbon fanfic by Richard Beaubien..  
  
A cool breeze swept through the park as the lamps slowly started to turn  
on. The last red ray's of sun light slowly disappeared as the horizon  
swallowed the sun up, leaving only wisps of cloud and machine generated  
light from the lamps to illuminate the park. The tree's slowly began to  
sway in the wind as another breeze kept up, this one more chilling to the  
bone than the last. A cold that kept the park empty right now, despite the  
symphony of colours the sunset played across the new nights sky.   
  
Well the park wasn't completely empty, for there was one visitor who was  
wearing a warm jacket that went down to her waste. She still shivered  
though as the wind blew yet again, her legs shaking even though she had  
on long pants. "I never knew it could be this cold in Japan," she remarked  
as her breath turned into wisps of cloud before fading off into the  
increasing night light. Still the cold was nothing compared to the beauty  
of this scene, a beauty that was enhanced by being their in person and not  
watching it through a crystal ball like she did so many years ago.   
  
The last bit of red faded from the night sky, the light of the city slowly  
taking it's place. It too possessed a beauty that danced in the night sky, a  
beauty that did no exist in the magic kingdom. A kingdom that even with  
all of it's magic probably couldn't duplicate the colour and the sense of  
awe generated by the sunset. It was one of the reasons that Erika decided  
to come here, against the wishes of all her parents and those in power.  
For she wanted to see the real beauty of an earth sunset, not a poor  
facsimile.  
  
Erika sighed as she started to walk through the path of the park.  
Everything seemed so simple when she was a young girl, so much simpler  
than it seemed now at the age of 23. Back then being the princess of a  
magical Kingdom seemed like a game, a game where one could dress up almost  
everyday and have exquisite dances. A game where one could have fantastic  
adventures and make new friends. And that was the way it was for Erika  
back then, having adventures by helping out her double in the human world  
and eventually making friends with her double, who was named Himeko. It  
was a friendship that she though would last forever, for it had been  
through so much already.   
  
Unfortunately it was not to be forever, for Erika soon found out that being  
a princess was not all fun and games. When she turned 18 she soon found  
out that she had to study and learn all of the rules of the magic kingdom.  
Learn about obscure spells, customs, and laws that influenced life in  
the magic kingdom. It was not the fun and adventure she had experienced  
before in her life, it was dry and boring book study for 10 hours a day.  
Erika also found that her new position kept her from making friends, as  
whenever she attended royal dances she was often given the cold shoulder  
by other women, and the men only looked at her as a way of achieving  
political power. Even Himeko grew distant from her, as she found more and  
more of her time taken up by studies. And when she last tried to talk to  
Himeko, she found that she had moved on in life, treating everything to do  
with the magic kingdom as a childish fantasy.   
  
That was 3 years ago Erika thought as she found her destination lead to a  
shrine of one of the local religions, Shinto she believed it was. It was  
the final blow to Erika's old life, the loss of one of her oldest friends  
in the world. Soon after that both Sei Array and Camielle went on their  
separate way's to learn and study, both leaving her alone to face the new  
realities of her life. She never thought she would miss them until they  
left, being the only two people who treated her like a normal person and  
as friend. She was friendless in the palace and she was expected to  
inherit the throne to the kingdom in a few years. That was 3 years ago,  
and in the new year she was expected to become the next queen and ruler  
of the kingdom.   
  
Stopping in front of the Shinto Shrine, Erika paused to make a prayer to  
the god's. This was her last stab at freedom, time alone on earth despite  
what trouble it would cause for her back home. She wanted a chance to be  
free, enjoy life for real and not from a crystal ball. And so she came to  
earth, to spend a week experiencing real life. Or perhaps she would spend  
more than a week here, maybe a month, maybe a year. Or maybe much longer  
than that...  
  
"I hope you aren't planning to stay down here forever Erika-Hime!"  
  
"Eh?" Erika exclaimed as she turned around. If someone had followed her  
then she'd be in big trouble and probably have to do double work or write  
an ungodly essay. Slowly preparing to beg for mercy her eyes slowly took  
on a look of surprise as she looked at who had spoken. "Sei?!?"  
  
The young man in the school suit smiled as he walked towards Erika, his  
hair still being short in length and the colour still being dusty blonde.  
As Erika looked over at him he could see that he had put on a bit more  
weight and seemed to fill out hsi suit more. If she didn't know any better  
she would think that Sei would of have done some working out over the last  
3 years as most of the extra weight looked like muscle. At least one thing  
was still the same though, he still had the same slightly goofy smile on  
his face.   
  
"Good Evening Erika-hime. It's such a lovely night out here, isn't it?"  
  
"Hai, Sei-san," Erika responded politely looking up into the eyes of the  
young man that stood next to her. "Excuse me, but why are you down here?"  
  
Sei looked up with a whimsical look on his face, "I've always liked the  
sunset on earth. It's one of the more beautiful sights to see, as you  
have just seen for yourself." A small chuckle came as he finished the  
sentence which caused Erika eyes to turn inquisitive look. "Oh I did  
enjoy some of my time down here. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I keep  
coming back every once and awhile."  
  
"But I thought you didn't want to stay down here back then!!" Erika  
exclaimed, remembering all too well one of the other few things that Sei  
liked about earth. "Your not down here to pick try and pick up  
Hime-chan!!"   
  
The accusation was met with a hearty laugh as a replay, "I'm afraid I've  
given up on her Erika-hime. No, I'm down here to try and pick you up."  
Erika looked on in confusion, what was Sei trying to do. She made it  
perfectly clear that she only though of him as a friend and nothing more.  
But then that was when they where only kid's.  
  
"Pick you up and take you home that is! You don't know how worried Chappy  
is and if you don't get home soon you'll have even more to worry about."  
Erika fumed as Sei finished this replay in the same laughing tone he  
started it with. And here she thought he was going to get serious with  
her, but it was just a joke. Always a joke from Sei Array.   
  
"I'll have you know I'm going to stay down here for awhile. I'm going back  
when I want to go back!" She finished off, pausing to stick her tongue out  
at the young man who stood beside her. And with that she started to walk  
away from the temple and towards another part of the park.   
  
"You know running away isn't going to do anything." Sei yelled from the  
temple, devoid of the humour that he possessed earlier.   
  
"And what do you know about running away?"  
  
"Because I tried to run away 3 years ago and it didn't work for me," Sei  
slowly walked up to Erika's side, this time his eyes full of empathy for  
Erika. "I thought it would be better if I got away from all of this ruler  
stuff and it I would feel better. But I didn't because I abandoned my  
friends and Ieft my home"  
  
Erika paused as she looked into his eyes, eyes full of sympathy for her  
plight. "Sei...."  
  
"I mean imagine what Chappy would do if he didn't have me around to bug  
him!!!" A sigh came from Erika as Sei finished the last line. "I'm  
kidding, I'm kidding okay..."  
  
"SEI!!!!"   
  
"Anyway, do want to go get a burger or something. Earth just does burgers  
better than any place in the magic Kingdom. I especially know of a good  
place around here."  
  
Erika just nodded her head in the affirmative as she slowly walked along  
side Sei. Once again she looked at his face, and saw once again the look  
of empathy on his face. 'Maybe he does care' Erika thought as she slowly  
followed his lead to this so called world class burger joint. And as the  
moved along cherry blossoms started to fall around them, the moonlight  
glowing off the falling petals.   
  
"Sugoi!!! But it's winter time so..." Erika's stopped her exclamation as  
she looked up at Sei who had a smile on his face. But this was friendly  
smile instead of the joking one he usually had on. "I learned a few new  
tricks over the last 3 years," he exclaimed as he held is hand out to  
Erika who slowly took it into her's, "Don't worry Erika-hime...You won't  
be left alone again. I swear on these Sakura blossoms!!"  
  
Erika laughed at that, laughed heartily for the first time in awhile. A  
laugh that prompted Sei to join in laughing. And the cherry blossoms  
continued to fall into the night sky, dancing in the light of the moon....  
  
*****   
  



End file.
